Floor covering



W. G. THOMAS, JR.

FLOOR COVERING.

APPLICATION FILED 00114, 1918- REHEWED JAN. 28. I922.

PatentedAug. 29, 19220 MQ M nnrran stares PATENT GFFIQE.

WILLIAM G. THOMAS, JR.,

OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SAFEPAGK MILLS,

FLOOR COVERING.

Application filed October 14, 1918, Serial No. 257,982. Renewed January 28, 1922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VIL IAM G. THOMAS, J r., a citizen of the United States, and resident of Newark, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Floor Coverings, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each'of the several views.

This invention relates to floor coverings of the type commonly known in trade as oongolenm,i. e., a waterproof and wear resisting covering for kitchen floors and like uses made up of paper or paper felt impregnated with pitchy, bituminous or asphaltic substance, and having usually a decorative print produced by a special paint preparation on the wear surface thereof. Floor coverings of this type have heretofore been subject to the objection that while they have been fairly durable so far as concerns wearing qualities they have had little strength to resist tearing, puncturing and breaking, this being for the reason that the treating of the felt or paper fiber with the asphaltic or like substance does not increase its tensile strength, but instead is even apt to weaken the same in this respect. A prime object of the invention is to provide a floor covering of the type stated that is reinforced and strengthened against tearing or breakage in any direction and having besides all the desirable qualities of other types and being also more wear resisting, while involving very little more expense in manufacture than ordinary kinds of such coverings. To this end I produce the present floor covering of built up layers of paper, one or more of which has associated therewith a reinforcing net or cries-cross arrangement of filaments either in the form of metallic wires or textile threads, and with an interposed layer of asphaltic or like pitch substance that serves as a binder to hold. the several layers together as a unitary waterproof sheet. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, and the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims. Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a portion Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2%, 1922.

Serial No. 532,498.

of a floor covering constructed in accordance withmy invention and with the layers at at one edge thereof separated and broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged edge View of the form shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged edge view of the form shown in F ig. 3.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 I provide a base layer 10 of paper or paper felt or the like and apply thereto a layer 11 of asphaltic or like binder pitch, this being of a consistency so that it is relatively hard at ordinary temperatures but readily softens by heat, and being of course applied hot. In this asphaltic layer, I embed reinforcing filaments 12 preferably metallic extending around the mat relatively close to the peripheral edge thereof which filaments thus reinforce the mat edge and prevent tearing thereof. Upon the surface of this asphaltic layer I apply a layer 13 of heavy paper which preferably has been previously treated with asphaltic or like hard pitch material and With a netting 14 which is preferably produced of textile filaments or threads, but which in a broader aspect of the invention is intended to typify any suitable reinforcing cries-cross arrangement of filaments either of metal'or textile and Whether the same is formed as a netting prior to its application to the sheet or not. This heavy surface paper with its underneath layer of reinforcing netting or criss-cross filaments is pressed upon the surface of the asphaltic layer with the same softened by heat and the floor covering them finished by the application of the usual decorative print surface of hard wear resisting paint to the top of the heavy paper layer 13. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in addition to the wire filaments 12 extending around the periphery of the sheet I show embedded in the asphalt layer other wires 15 which extend in series at right angles to each other and may be spaced varying distances apart according to the character of floor covering required, the size of these wires being of course also dictated largely by the nature of the service required of the covering. In this form of the invention I show the lower paper sheet 10 as also having applied thereto a reinforcing netting adherent thereto by being pressed. intoa pitch layer with which said sheet has been previously treated. The top paper layer let in this form may be similar to the sheet 14 and with a similar application of reinforcing netting.

Thus by the employment of either a textile nettin or criss-cross thread arrangement applie to the paper sheets at the surface of the covering, or by the use of embedded wire filaments, or both such netting and metal filaments, I 'am'enabled to produce a floor covering that. is resistant of tearing and breakage to the extent required for any particular kind of surface.

A further important point of advantage of the present construction is that since there is a sheet of relatively heavy paper as the top layer of the covering and on to which the print surface is impressed, this prevents pitch substance of the binder from working up through, the color and saturating and discoloring the same, which has been a serious objection in former coverings of this type wherein the print surface has been impressed directly or nearly so on to the asphalt or pitch layer. Further. the present covering is relatively durable and presentable for a much longer period than pre- "ious types, since even after the print surface is worn off there is no exposure of the pitchy back layer untilthe thick paper surface layer-is entirely worn through. Since the paper layers at both the top and base of the covering are thoroughly impregnated with the asph altum pitch preparation it will be understood that these layers as well as the covering as a whole are absolutely Waterproof as well as being to a high degree Itesistant of cracking or'tendency to mutilation. I am aware thatthe invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes. thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrlctive, reference being bad to. the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description, to indicate the scopeof the invention.

Having described my invention, what I on, said layers being held together to constitute a unitary floor covering by said pitch binder.

2. A floor covering, composed of a base layer of fibrous material, a layer of asphaltic pitch binder applied thereto with a net work of reinforcing filaments in criss-cross relation embedded in said binder, and a sur face layer of relatively heavy fibrous ma terial resistant of pitch impregnation applied to said binder layer and having a print surface impressed thereon, said layers being held together to constitute a unitary floor covering by said pitch binder.

3. A floor covering, composed of a base layer of fibrous material, a pitch binder layer applied thereto with reinforcing filaments embedded therein and extending around the peripheral edge thereof, and a top surface paper layer resistant of pitch impregnation applied to said binder layer and having a print surface impressed thereon, said layers being held together to constitute a unitary floor covering by said pitch binder.

4. A floor covering, composed of a base layer of paper, a pitch binder layer applied thereto having reinforcing filaments embe(l ded therein and extending around the pe riphery thereof, said binder layer having also a reinforcing net work of other filaments embedded therein, and a top surface layer of relatively heavy paper resistant of pitch impregnation applied to said binder layer and having a print surface impressed thereon, said layers being held together to constitute a unitary floor covering pitch binder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM THOMAS, in.

by said 

